Boiler feed water heating apparatus



Patentednec. 2u, |898.

J. THOM.

BUILER FEED WATER HEATING APPARATUS.

(Application 1ed Apr. 23, 1898.1

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

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No. 6|6,43|. Patented Dec. 2D, |898. J. THUM.

BOILEB FEED WATER HEATING APPARATUS.

. (Application led Apr. 23, 1898.) (N0 Modals sheets-sheet 2.

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Patented Dec. 20, |898.

J. THM.

BDILEB FEED WATER HEATING APPARATUS.

(Application led Apr. 23, 1898A (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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'llNiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICEe JOI-IN Tl-IOM, OF GLASGOW, SCOTLAND.

BOILER FEED-WATER-HEATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 616,431, dated December 20, 1898.

Application filed April 23, 1898.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN THOM, consulting engineer, residing at Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, Scotland, have invented an Improvement in Boiler Feed -YVater-Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention has reference to the heating of the feed-water supplied to steam-generators used in connection with and for driving steam-engines and wherein the exhaust-steam from the engines is employed in the heating of this feed-water.

According to this invention the feed-water is heated by discharging it, say in suitable spray form, in among the steam in the exhaust-steam pipe (or chamber) of the engine, within which is provided a means or device so arranged that the water so discharged into the pipe is collected1 at a lower point, from which point it is drawn off by the auxiliary air-pump or feed-pump and delivered to the steam-generator, while the uncondensed steam passes away through a pipe past'the point at which the water is collected to a condenser for condensing iti The water resultl ing from this condensation of steam in the l condenser is drawn up by the vacuum from c the hot-well on the main air-pump discharge to the point in the exhaust-steam pipe at which the water is discharged into it. Thus i in this case the feed-water at the temperature at which it is withdrawn from the main condenser hot well or air -pump discharge is further heated by being introduced into the steam-exhaust pipe ata point above the condenser where it is hotter, and consequently receives additional heat. The supply of water from the hot-well or air-pump discharge is regulated, say, by a regulating-valve or the like controlled by a iloater, and is drawn up to the heating part, as described.

rlhe drawings hereto annexed illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a front sectional elevation showing the various parts used in connection with a condensing steam-engine, and Fig. 2 a plan of same with parts omitted.

Referring to the drawings, d represents the pipe or conduit by which the exhaust-steam is conducted from the engine to the main condenser for creating and maintaining vacuum Serial No, 6781630. (No model.)

in the low-pressure cylinder or cylinders, and b a chamber thereon having within a spiral diaphragm or web c.

d' is an extension of the pipe @,which stands above the level of the bottom of the chamber b, and the annular space b around which constitutes a receiving vessel for water which falls from the spiral diaphragm c.

dis a pipe by which the Water from the main condenser and which is to be heated and fed to the steam-generator supplying the engines with steam is conducted from the hot-well of the condenser air-pump to the exhaust-pipe a, above the diaphragm c, CZ being a distribting-rose on the end of d, by which the water is sprayed into the exhaust-steam in the cylinder b coming from the engine.

e is the main air-pump for withdrawing air and condensed water from the condenser and ad mittingit to the chamber b, f being the hotwell of this pump, to which the water-supply pipe d is connected, and g is a valve on the pipe d for regulating the supply of water from the hot-well to the chamber b, g being a oater carrying the valve g and contained within the casing g2, by which the valve g is operated, said iioater and valve being adapted to be raised by water in the case g2 when there is a certain quantity of water in it and the valve g opened and to fall, and the valve g closed when the water in g2 falls below a certain point. By this means the action of the air-pump e is not interfered with and the float prevents air being drawn into the condenser from the hot-well.

7L is a pipe connected with the bottom of the chamber ZJ for drawing ott the water from this chamber, and c' is a second air-pump, to the inlet of which the pipe h is connected and by which the water and air from the chainber b is drawn off.

7e is a tank into which the water from the pump e' is discharged, l being the dischargepipe connecting the pump with the tank.

m is a donkey-pump for drawing off the hot water from the tank 7c and for feeding the steam-generator with the hot water.

In action the condensed water from the main engine-condenser is pumped by the airpump e into the hot-well and drawn through the pipe d and into the heater b above the spiral diaphragm c, it being sprayed into the steam coming from the engine by the pipe a, by the perforated spraying-rose d. The effect is that the fine jet or spray of Water is heated by the exhaust-steam (some of which is also condensed by the water, which is of a lower temperature) and the steam and water pass down through the spiral space between the spiral diaphragm c, and the water separates from the steam and is delivered into the annular receiving part b in the bottom h from the lower edge of the diaphragm, which is so arranged that no water falls into the pipe a below it, while the steam passes on freely into the upwardly-projecting part a' of the pipe a and away to the main condenser. From the bottom chamber b of the vessel l) the heated water is drawn o by the secondary air-pump and is forced by itinto the hot-water tank la, from which it is drawn oi by the pump m and delivered in its heated state to the steam-generator of the main engine. Thus by this means the hot water from the engine-condenser and hot-wellf has its temperature raised very considerably by the exhaust-steam from the engine on its Way to the condenser, and, further, the degree of vacuum in the condenser is enhanced, thus attaininga twofold advantage and augmentation of efciency of the engines and boilers. v As regards the construction of the chamber b and parts connected with it, in Fig. l, the steam is led in at the side by the pipe (L and the diaphragm device c is a separate partt. e., is not an integral part of the chamber 1) While the top of the chamber is closed at the top by a detachable cover b2. Thus by removing this cover the diaphragm device c can be removed if and when desired. In the modification in Fig. 3 the chamber b and diaphragm device c are in one and the supplysteam pipe ct is arranged directly above the device c.

employed to assist the raising of the temperature of the water to be heated and delivered by the pipe d, or it may receive the additional heat by passing the exhaust-steam from these engines through a pipe on the engine near where the water-spray is arranged, or in a.

separate pipe, vessel, or device, or it may re-V ceive the additional heat by passing the exhaust-steamv from these engines through a pipe to the part or vesselwhere the feed-wa-v ter is collected at the main feed-pump.

What is claimed in respect of the hereindescribed invention is- 1. In combination with the chamber b, th exhaust-steam pipe ce, the inlet-pipe CZ for the water, both of said pipes being locatedat or near the top of the chamber b, the steam and water separating device in said chamber and the pipe a and pipe h for the steam and water respectively leading from the lower vpart of -thevsaid chamber b, substantially as described.

2. In a feed-Water-heating apparatus, the combination of the chamber b, engine steamexhaust pipe a to which the chamber b is connected; the spiral diaphragm steam and water separating device c in 19,; the water-sup-V ply pipe CZ; water-collectin g chamber b in the bottom of b, around the inwardly-projecting part a' of the steam-pipe a; and the draw-oil? pipe h; substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN THOM. Vitnesses:

ALEXANDER LOCKHART DICK, ANTHONY BARTON. 

